Manchester United 4-3 Newcastle: Newcastle took the lead three times only for United to comeback and move seven points clear at the top. The deadlock was broken after four minutes when Demba Ba's shot was parried by David De Gea, straight to James Perch who tapped it home. United levelled when Jonny Evans slid home Javier Hernandez's parried shot from a corner on 25-minutes. Evans then put Newcastle 2-1 ahead three minutes later when he inadvertently put the ball in his own net from a cross. The linesman had initially ruled the goal out for offside against Papiss Cisse, but referee Mike Dean chose to overrule him and deemed Cisse not to be interfering with play. Incredibly for the fourth time this season, Patrice Evra got himself on the scoresheet with a goal from outside the box 13-minutes into the second half. Newcastle retook the lead on 68-minutes when substitute Gabriel Obertan pulled the ball back for Cisse to smash home. This time the lead only lasted for three minutes before Robin Van Persie rejoined Michu as the league's top goalscorer on the second time of asking. The winner eventually came in the 91st minute when Hernandez poked a Ryan Giggs lob past Tim Krul. Newcastle now remain five points ahead of the bottom three.
Sunderland 1-0 Manchester City: For the second season running, City lose at the Stadium of Light. The only goal of the game came from former City player, Adam Johnson, who managed to out fox Joe Hart with a long range effort which Johnson initially didn't realise had actually gone in. City now fall seven points behind United whereas Sunderland move seven points above the drop.
Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham: Spurs go fourth on goal difference after a Gareth Bale hat-trick, meaning Villa have now conceded 12-goals in their last two games. After a dominant first half, Spurs finally took the lead 12-minutes into the second through Jermain Defoe for his tenth goal of the season. Bale made it 2-0 just after the hour mark. Another defensive mistake allowed Bale to make it 3-0 on 73-minutes before getting his hat-trick seven minutes before half-time. It's now one win in 12-Boxing Day fixtures for Villa as they still sit three points above the drop and have a huge game against Wigan on Saturday.
Stoke 3-1 Liverpool: Stoke move up to eighth with Liverpool tenth after this result. Liverpool actually took the lead after just two minutes when they awarded a penalty. Ryan Shawcross pulled on Luis Suarez's shirt, but the foul began outside the box and it wasn't until the Uruguayan went down inside the box when Howard Webb blew the whistle. Steven Gerrard stepped up and converted past Asmir Begovic. The lead lasted only for three minutes when Jon Walters equalised before Kenwyne Jones made it 2-1 on 12-minutes when his header from a corner wasn't dealt with. The points were wrapped up for Stoke four minutes into the second half when Walters smashed home his second.
QPR 1-2 West Brom: QPR fall to the bottom of the table on goal difference after this delayed start due to traffic congestion. The opening goal came just before the half hour mark when Chris Brunt fired a long range effort into the bottom corner. It was then 2-0 four minutes into the second half when Robert Green palmed a corner into his own net, he argued that he was being fouled and prevented from catching the ball but even so Green should have done better than a feeble pat into his own net. Djibril Cisse did pull one back on 68-minutes but it wasn't enough to provide a comeback for Rangers. West Brom now sit sixth, level on points with Spurs and Everton.
Everton 2-1 Wigan: Wigan remain a point from safety as Everton slip to fifth on goal difference. Leon Osman put Everton ahead seven minutes into the second half before Phil Jagielka made it 2-0 with a header on 77-minutes. Arouna Kone did pull one back for Wigan eight minutes before the end but it was too little too late.
Norwich 0-1 Chelsea: Chelsea go four points behind Manchester City with a game in hand after this victory. The only goal of the game came seven minutes before half-time when Juan Mata found some space just outside the box to smash the ball home. This second consecutive defeat sees Norwich just slip out of the top half on goal difference.
Fulham 1-1 Southampton: Saints move a point ahead of the relegation zone, with a game in hand, after this draw. It was the hosts who actually took the lead on eight minutes when Kelvin Davis failed to deal with a low cross and Dimitar Berbatov gratuitously spiked the ball into the net. Southampton were then given a penalty five minutes before the end for a Chris Baird handball. Rickie Lambert stepped up and Mark Schwarzer could only palm the powerful strike into the net. Fulham now sit six points above the relegation zone.
Reading 0-0 Swansea: Reading move off the bottom of the table on goal difference as they finally hit double figures. This result marks three consecutive draws for Swansea although the league's top goalscorer, Michu, had the best chances to add to his tally. Reading did have the ball in the net through Adam Le Fondre, but he put it in with his hand the goal was rightly disallowed.
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